Geoscience Reference
In-Depth Information
There have been tensions in CCAMLR both from internal and external forces. The
rst
type include disagreements between those Parties that look on the Convention as a
conservation measure, and therefore have wanted very small quotas, and the
fishing
nations who view the Convention, rightly, as one intended to set sustainable catch quotas.
The greatest challenges, however, have both been internal and external and
relate to illegal, unregulated and unreported (IUU)
fishing of Patagonian tooth
sh,
Dissostichus eleginoides
. This dense, white
fish sells at high prices because of its
quality. Harvesting of it became signi
cant from the mid-1990s, and much of the
catches have been taken by ships that have not adhered to the regulations.
In recent years the IUU
fishing has come under better control through
CCAMLR introducing a Catch Documentation Scheme (CDS), which makes it
illegal for importers in their countries to buy this
fish without CDS. As most of the
high-paying consumers live in countries that are parties to CCAMLR, this has
helped the situation, but there is still circumvention of the scheme, both by ships
under a
'
flag of convenience
'
i.e. a
flag state not member of CCAMLR, and by ships
fishing is generally done by companies
registered in states that are not party to international
flagged to CCAMLR Parties. The illegal
fisheries agreements. In recent
years many CCAMLR members have shown a strong willingness to enforce
regulations, by cooperating in dramatic chases of ships conducting IUU
fishing, with
successful capture and prosecution, including con
scation of ship and catch.
CCAMLR is undoubtedly a success. The ecosystem approach with the
precautionary principle means that the legal harvesting is well below sustainable
levels, and is a model for other
fishing conventions. Furthermore, various regulations
have been put in place to address other problems, e.g. to prevent incidental bird
mortality (being caught in lines and nets) and to reduce catching untargeted species.
Marine protected areas can be designated both under CCAS and CCAMLR. This
is a challenge in relation to commercial activities. In such delineations care must be
taken also when ATCMs designate specially protected areas with marine
components, to ensure coherence within the Antarctic Treaty System.
Challenges ahead for the Antarctic Treaty and the
management of the frozen continent
For a long time, tourism has been on the ATCM agenda, but there are few provisions that
address only tourism and nongovernmental activities.ThePartiesdifferintheirviewson
tourism activity, and indeed in their direct management experiences with the industry.
A minority of the Parties host tourism companies and/or provide port services. In a
similar way at every ATCM there are opposing views between the industry, represented
by their umbrella organisation IAATO (International Association of Antarctica Tour
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